Missy Johnson - Provoke

Her eyes lowered. I could see my last words had gotten to her. She believed me; I could feel it. Her hate was faltering. Leeta stared at the floor. She was listening, and that was a good sign.

“So . . . what exactly are you doing?” she asked.

“I have no fucking idea.” I wiped my brow, the sweat building up even though it wasn’t all that warm. “All I know is that these people are going to pay for what they did to her.”

Leeta was silent. I watched her closely, searching for a sign that just maybe, on some weird level, she got what I was doing.

“I don’t know what to say . . . These people, do you know where they are?” she asked.

I shook my head. “I know a bit.” Something was stopping me telling her just how much I knew at this point. The less she knew, the more I could keep her safe. If they found out I was onto them, I didn’t know what they’d be capable of.

 “And if you find them? Then what?” Her voice was soft, and I got the feeling she didn’t want to know the answer.

“I don’t know,” I lied. I knew. I knew exactly what I was going to do when I found the assholes responsible for this.

“So this is far from over.”

“I’m sorry, Leet. You have to know, those videos . . . all I thought of was you and how much I’d be hurting you.” And that was the damn truth. “All the cash I made from the videos went straight to the girls. That kept them off the streets for a few weeks, Leet.” I was clutching at straws now, desperate to justify myself in any way I could.

Leeta sat there, frowning. Her silence was killing me. She rubbed her wrists where the rope had burned through the top layer of her skin, leaving a nice red mark in its wake. My throat constricted. Fuck, I’d hurt her. I’d actually caused her physical pain.

 I wanted to reach out and touch her wrists. I wanted to kiss them better, make the pain go away.

But I didn’t. I sat there, ashamed. Ashamed of how deeply I’d hurt her. Ashamed that no matter what her reaction was, it wouldn’t stop me pursuing this.

“I think I need to lie down,” she mumbled. She stood up and walked to the bedroom. At the door, she turned around. “You sure you don’t want to tie me to the bed?” she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Oh, God. The thought of her tied to the bed in there was not something I wanted to think about just then. My cock twitched as I watched her disappear into the room.

Fuck.

Leeta

Climbing onto the double bed, I sighed, not sure what I was feeling. Did his explanations make it better? Did it excuse what he’d done?

No, but knowing he wasn’t a rapist brought me relief.

I felt sorry for him. He blamed himself for Anna’s suicide; I could see that. He would do absolutely anything to avenge what had happened to her.

And there lay the problem.

He’d cheated on me. Whatever his reasons were, he had cheated on me.

He had fucked other women. My wonderful, beautiful Mace—the guy I thought could do no wrong by me—had betrayed me in the worst possible way. How could he claim to love me and turn around and do that? If you love someone, you don’t do that.

Blinking back tears, I dragged the covers up over my shoulders

Fuck you, Mace. Fuck you for doing this to me.

#

I woke up, disoriented. Where the hell was I?

Throwing back the covers, I stood up, unsteady on my feet. Slowly, things began filtering back to me: Mace. The videos. Anna. I gripped the sides of my head and squeezed my eyes shut. It was all too much. I couldn’t deal with it at the moment.

I opened the bedroom door and ventured out. Blood pumped through my veins. The thought of seeing him scares me. He wasn’t the guy I’d thought he was. All these secrets . . . it was like Ben all over again.

“Can I get you something?”

I jumped as Mace appeared in front of me. “No. Thanks.” I forced a smiled and walked over to the couch. Hang on, why did I feel like I had to be nice? I had every right to be annoyed at him.

He followed me over and sat down on the coffee table in front of me, placing his hands on my knees. I tensed and pushed them away.

“Don’t . . .” I began, my voice trailing off. “Just don’t.”

“Leet, please—”

“Please what? For fuck’s sake, give me some damn space! Let me process what you’ve told me. I think I deserve that—don’t you?” My voice was cold. His eyes clouded with frustration as he stood up and cursed.

He turned around and slapped his keys down on the table. I stared up at him. I could feel the blood drain from my face. What was he doing?

“Just go. Fucking leave, Leeta. Call the cops, whatever. I don’t give a shit. If you aren’t able to forgive me . . .” He shook his head violently. “Then I don’t want you here.” He stalked to the bathroom and slammed the door, leaving me sitting there, stunned.

He’s angry with me?

What the fuck?

Crouching down, I picked up the keys and held them tightly in my hand. How could he expect me to forgive him in the space of a few fucking hours? He was insane.

My head screamed at me to get out of there, but I didn’t. Instead, I sat. I sat there and I waited, because I needed answers.

And if I left then, I’d never get them.

Mace

I should have told her everything.

I took off my shirt, rubbing my hand over my bare chest as I turned the shower on. I stepped out of my jeans and boxers, and stood under the steaming hot water.

She needed time, and I should have given her that. At least then there would have been a small, miniscule chance that she would have understood. Instead, I’d snapped and pushed her away.

What did I expect?

I’d cheated on her. I couldn’t blame her for being angry with me. I was pissed at myself, and I’d taken that out on her. And now she was gone. I’d fucked up the only good thing in my life.

“Fuck!” I yelled, as I roughly soaped up my body. I rinsed off the suds and then twisted the taps off. Stepping out of the shower, I reached for a towel, wrapping it around my waist. I pushed the wet hair from my eyes, pulled open the door, and walked back through to the living room.

“Leet,” I gasped, stopping in my tracks. She sat in the same spot she had fifteen minutes before, tossing my keys from one hand to the other.

She’s still here.

“You could’ve gotten away. You could have left.” I ran my hand through my wet hair, stunned, not sure what to feel.

“But I didn’t.”

I stared at her, mixed emotions running through me. I was angry that she was stupid enough to still be there. I was relieved that I hadn’t blown my chance. But most of all, I was confused.

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Mace . . . do you trust me?”

I lowered my head and sighed. Did I trust her? Could I tell her the truth?

“I learned a long time ago not to trust anyone, Leeta.”

She stood up. Slowly and deliberately, she walked over to me. My heart began to beat faster as I stared into those deep-blue eyes. My beautiful Leeta. I could feel myself wavering.

“I don’t know why I didn’t leave, Mace. I just . . .” She stopped and shook her head. “I want to believe you. I want to trust you, but I feel like you’re still holding back.”

“Leet,” I sighed, and reached for her hand. She didn’t pull away. “I’m so sorry.” I pulled her toward me, needing her in my arms. She didn’t resist. My hands roamed her back as I tilted her face up to mine.

She whimpered softly as I kissed her, my lips pressing gently against hers. God, it felt good to kiss her. My fingers edged underneath her shirt, the softness of her smooth skin incredible against my touch.

“Oh, Leet,” I muttered. I lifted her onto my hips. Her legs wrapped around me tightly as she kissed me, her fingers roaming through my short hair. I carried her into the bedroom and threw her down on the bed, yanking at her jeans.

“Oh yeah,” she muttered as I ripped open her shirt and lifted up her bra. I took her nipple in my mouth and began to suck. Positioning myself between her legs, I kissed my way down her stomach, my tongue spiralling over her soft skin. Her muscles tensed as I neared the top of her black thong.

Looping my fingers around their stretchy fabric, I tugged them down, over her knees, until they floated to the floor. She groaned as I spread her legs apart and licked along her sweet spot.

“I . . . wow,” she muttered. One hand was balanced on my head, clutching at my hair, as the other covered her face. Her ankles locked around my neck as she slid herself further down the bed.

I kissed the insides of her thighs, breathing in her sweet scent before burying my face in her pussy. I ran my tongue over her soft, bare entrance, noting how wet and ready she was for me. I chuckled as she tried to push my head closer to her before plunging my tongue inside, not wanting to deny her any longer.

Her hips bucked as she arched her back. She cried out as my tongue roamed her pussy while my finger teased her clit. I glanced up at her and smirked, circling my tongue around her clit, pushing her to the edge. My cock was aching for her. I needed to feel myself inside her. I lifted myself onto the bed. Curling her legs around me, she groaned as I pushed myself inside her wet pussy.

“Harder,” she gasped. Pressing her leg against her chest, I rammed deeper inside of her. I groaned as my cock began to throb as I exploded, releasing inside her. Fuck, she is incredible. Pulling out, I collapsed beside her on the bed, exhausted and covered in sweat.